Multiplier logic tube



5, 1969 D. R. KOEHLE R 3,459,984

MULTIPLIER LOGIC TUBE Filed Dec. 7, 1966 (ELECTRON GUN) IO A J DEFLECTEDELECTRON (COLLECTOR) 2o l6 (CHOPPER) 22 FIG. I

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W Y W J. 1W )W M algal-8M United States Patent O 3,459,984 MULTIPLIERLOGIC TUBE Dale R. Koehler, 2208 Sockwell Drive SW., Huntsville, Ala.35803 Filed Dec. 7, 1966, Ser. No. 599,978 Int. Cl. H01j 31/02 US. Cl.313-73 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE electron logic tubeincludingan electron gun, chopper electrodes, vertical and horizontal deflectionplates, and a novel receptor array. An input signal on the deflectionplates serves to deflect an electron beam from the electron gun on aparticular receptor which represents the product of the numbersrepresented by the input signal. The chopper electrodes allow theelectron beam to pass only when a signal is present on the deflectionplates.

The invention described herein is subject to the reservation to theGovernment of a non-exclusive, irrevocable, royalty-free license in theinvention with power to grant licenses for all governmental purposes.

This invention relates in general to electron tubes and moreparticularly to electron beam logic tubes. A logic tube according tothis invention comprises an electron gun for generating an electronbeam, a chopper for blocking the beam at desirable times, deflectionplates for directing the beam, and a novel receptor array that isresponsive to the beam to provide information about input signalsapplied to the deflection plates.

The electron beam logic tube is an asset in electronic systems requiringlow analysis time or high speed of response time. Its use in amultichannel analyzer provides analysis time which is essentiallylimited only by the information pulse itself. As a multiplier, the logictube receptor array responds to input signals by activating theappropriate receptor representing the product of the numbers beingmultiplied.

An object of this invention is to provide an electron beam logic tubehaving a rapid output response for a given input signal.

Another object of this invention is to provide separate outputs for eachdifferent input signal.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be better understoodfrom the following detailed description and from the accompanyingdrawing illustrating an example of the invention and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a diagram of a preferred embodiment of the invention; and

FIGURE 2 illustrates a receptor array utilized as a multiplier.

Referring now to the drawing, FIGURE 1 discloses a diagram representingone embodiment of the invention comprising an electron gun 10,horizontal and vertical deflection plates 12 and 14, a chopper 16, and areceptor array 20. The electron gun fires an electron beam at thereceptor array, or beam collector 20 wherein a sheet of insulation 22has disposed therein a plurality of conductor elements 24 arranged incolumns and rows. Horizontal deflection plates 12 and verticaldeflection plates 14 are 3,459,984 Patented Aug. 5, 1969 ice locatedbetween the electron gun and the receptor array. Input signals areimpressed upon the horizontal and vertical deflection plates, therebycausing the electron beam to change trajectories and strike the receptorarray 20 at a position corresponding to the amplitude of the inputinformation signal.

The tube can be made to generate one dimensional information by applyingsignals to only one pair of deflection plates, or two dimensional byapplying signals to both pairs of deflection plates. Furthermore, by theaddition of chopper 16 between the electron gun 10 and the deflectionplates 12 and 14, the continuous beam operation can be converted topulsed beam operation. In continuous beam operation, the electron beamwill constantly bombard a collector of receptor array 20 when there isno input signal. In pulsed beam operation, chopper 16 is used tosuppress the electron beam when no signal is present on deflectionplates 12 and 14.

This electron beam tube departs in construction from the well-knowncathode ray tube in that the array of beam collectors replaces theconventional phosphor screen. The information signal present on thedeflection plates deflects the electron beam to make it strike a beamcollector or receptor causing a signal to be generated in an externalcircuit connected to that particular receptor.

One application of this electron beam tube is that of a multichannelanalyzer. Present multichannel analyzers are measurers of amplitudes ofinformation signals. They determine the amplitudes in question and alsocount the number of signals of each amplitude. Present techniquestypically require from 1 to microseconds to analyze a given pulse,determine its magnitude, and store this information. The analysis timefor the electron beam logic tube described herein is essentially onlylimited by the information pulse itself. The amplitude of the incomingsignal determines the deflection of the electron beam and subsequentlywhich receptor is struck. By connecting fast sealers to each of thereceptors, one has the basic components of a multichannel analyzer.

A second application of this electron beam tube is that of a multiplier.A multiplier, in the mathematical sense, as shown in FIGURE 2, utilizesa number array matched to or superimposed on the receptor array 20. Forexample, the product of X Y is generated by feeding the informationsignal X into the horizontal deflection plates 12 and the informationsignal Y into the vertical deflection plates 14. The electron beam willrespond by moving in the X direction the distance of X and in the Ydirection the distance of Y to arrive at the receptor X Y whichcorresponds to the mathematical product.

What is claimed is:

1. An electron beam logic tube comprising: an electron gun for providingan electron beam, horizontal and vertical deflection plates fordeflecting said electron beam in response to an input intelligencesignal, chopper electrodes located between said electron gun and saiddeflection plates for blocking the electron beam when no signal is onthe deflection plates, a beam collector array that comprises a pluralityof insulated conductor elements disposed to form a plurality of columnsand rows, and a number array superimposed on said receptor array havinga number corresponding to each receptor, said number array being dividedinto 4 quadrants having vertical and horizontal rectangular coordinateaxes and all receptors and numbers lying within a quadrant with noreceptor or number located on said rectangular coordinate axes.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,736,802 2/1956 Cranberg 328-2273,275,746 9/ 1966 Beltrami 328 231 X OTHER REFERENCES Cochrane, H. W.:Cathode Ray Tube Multiplier, from 5 IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin,vol. 2, No. 4, De-

cember 1959, pp. 46 and 47.

JAMES W. LAWRENCE, Primary Examiner 10 V. LAFRANCHI, Assistant ExaminerUS. Cl. X.R.

